Heather Muriwai
Heather Muriwai
Māori Midwife

Ko Taranaki te maunga
Ko Aotea te waka
Ko Waingongoro te awa
Ko Tangahoe raua ko Ngati Ruanui ngā iwi
Ko Ngati Tupaia raua ko Ngati Tanewai ngā hapū
Ko W’arepuni te marae
Ko Heather Kimirongo Rangi Muriwai tōku ingoa

Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.

I am a midwife with twenty-five years of experience and am currently employed as a Principal Advisor for the Family and Community Health Team at Te Whatu Ora. I have previously worked as an LMC midwife, a member of a kaupapa Māori midwifery team for a Māori NGO in South Auckland, LMC Liaison Midwife, and then Clinical Lead Midwife Māori Midwifery for Counties Manukau DHB.

Whilst working at Counties Manukau DHB I was a member of the Māori Caucus within the SUDI Governance Group. Our kaupapa was to strive to ensure the SUDI prevention programme realised the current unmet needs of tangata whenua, with the goal of reducing the disproportionate and inequitable SUDI statistics - for both Māori and Pacifika.

In my various midwifery roles, I have seen first-hand the devastation caused, and the impact of SUDI on whānau. I remain committed, at both a locality and national level to its elimination.